On behalf of everyone involved in the “Aikens Experience”, we wish you the very best in the New Year!  With the holiday season wrapping up, we’d like to take this occasion to thank you all for being a part of what made 2008 a year to remember. In 2008, we celebrated our 60th anniversary of operation, making Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge one of the longest-standing tourism destinations in Manitoba! Since 1948, when Mr. Carlson originally opened the lodge for business, we’ve worked extensively to better the services and product each of our clients enjoy at the lake. And that is why each season is our best one yet!

With Christmas in the air; Pit, Julie, Annika and Martin opened their home to the “Aikens Family” which includes staff and volunteers of 2008 for a year-end shindig. With standing room only, dozens upon dozens of happy Aikens fellowship members bid each other a wonderful holiday season. The party, true to form, lasted till the wee hours of the night and our transportation was graciously provided by our friend at Ô Tours. Some great door prizes were handed out, and our camp engineer Léo Nolette was the big winner scooping up three gifts!  Some of our staff returned to Winnipeg after spending a few months studying abroad to reunite with familiar faces and, of course family. Thank you to the Turenne family for having us and for such a great evening.

In 2008, the expanded guide crew (now ten full-time guides) probed new waters and angled new catches to further the already extensive Guide’s Playbook. With their Lund Alaskan boats and unique Aikens savvy, they aptly showed hundreds of outdoorsmen (and women) the bounties of Aikens. Whether it was jigging up countless schools of hungry Walleyes, trolling deep for  big Lakers or launching big hand-tied flies for monster Pike, the summer provided numerous memorable trophies.

We were very proud to host a few large events last year. Notably, we hosted a large contingent of representatives from the Komatsu Corporation. Their first visit to Aikens proved to be quite special. Great fishing and camaraderie made their trip one to remember. Who could forget Lightning-Fingers Ronnie tickling the ivories in Big Molly’s bar each night of their stay? Also, the “Call of the Tundra” promotion by Toyota’s Prairie dealerships was a resounding success. As many of you have already witnessed on the DVD copy we sent you, the tournament format was a perfect fit for Aikens. That being said, we are very happy to announce that we are hosting this event again in 2009! (Keep your eye on the newsletter for tournament dates).

Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge is always trying to minimize the environmental impact it has on our pristine surroundings. Our new wood-fired hot water system (which feeds the entire peninsula) reduced our consumption of propane to virtually nil. New recycling procedures and and plans for alternative power generation will further our “green” mantra, thus ensuring a healthy eco-setting for years to come.

Lately, the office has been abuzz with phone calls, mail-outs and planning for the sportshow season.  Next week we kick off our tour to numerous cities all over North America! Here is a listing of our shows:

 2009 Sportshow Dates 

-Kansas City: Jan.7-11 (Gerry & Denis) @ H.Roe Bartle Hall *booth #431*

-Chicago: Jan.8-11 (Pat&Janelle) @ Pheasant Run Resort Mega Center

-Denver: Jan.22-25 (Pat&Janelle) @ Colorado Convention Center *booth #2400*

-Calgary: Feb.12-15 (Pat&Janelle) @ Roundup Center

-Phoenix: Feb.27-Mar.1 (Pit&Julie) @ Cardinals Stadium (Glendale)

-Montreal: Feb.26-Mar.1 (Gerry&Pat) @ Place Bonaventure

-Minneapolis: Mar.12-15 (Pit,Julie&Pat) @ Minneapolis Convention Center *booth #1154

-Toronto: Mar.18-22 (Pat&Janelle) @ Natl. Trade Center,Exhibition Place *booth #908

Aikens would like to thank all of its guests and staff for their presence at the lodge in 2008. We hope your time at the lodge was as memorable for you as it was for us. We anticipate yet another great year for 2009. Despite the economic woes, the operation schedule is already forming up for next summer. Our season which runs from May to September has been  booking steadily. It seems that the allure of relaxing and going fishing is the perfect remedy to escape from one’s demanding schedule. If you’re looking for a way to unwind and enjoy a truly a world-class fishing adventure or are planning a return trip to our notable establishment, please don’t hesitate to let us know.  Also, if we’ll be in your neck of the woods during our sportshow circuit, we’d be happy to purchase tickets for your admission (just drop us a line).

Again, we send you, our readers,our best for 2009 and we’ll be sure to save a seat for you in a Lund this summer!

We are pleased to introduce the newly appointed President of the Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association! Pit Turenne, General Manager and Partner for Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge was named last week the head of the M.L.O.A. This association unites over 200 members which represent every facet of outdoor tourism in Manitoba; including fishing, hunting, and eco-tourism. This prestigious title was bestowed upon our boss after a vote of his peers during the annual meetings. Pit’s two-year appointment follows his father Gerry’s footsteps as a past M.L.O.A. president.  Bravo Pit, yet another feather in your hat! Visit the M.L.O.A. website at: www.mloa.com.

With that yule time cheer, Aikens Lake Lodge is set to send out thousands of its new calendar/brochure to its guests and contacts.  This year we have redesigned the calendar and have chosen some truly breath taking pictures to illustrate our one-of-a-kind lodge. Also, we’ve included a DVD of our “Call of the Tundra” tournament which was filmed at the lake in August. You can expect this bundle to arrive by Christmas. If we don’t have your information yet you would like a copy, please contact us at fishing@aikenslake.com.  Enjoy!

Many of you know Pat simply as “M. Concombre”, after his many seasons on a french children’s television show.  His acting career continues, as this fall he has starred in the “Le Cercle Molière’s” rendition of Driving Miss Daisy.  The local french theatre group, of which Pat has been a part of as an actor/technician/sound/etc since his tweens, is the longest running theatre group in Canada (since 1925).  In their second of four productions for the winter 2008/09 season, they retell the tale of Driving Miss Daisy.  The Winnipeg Free Press’s Bryan Rivers gave the play 4 out of 5 stars, which is a fantastic rating by this knowledgeable and honest critic.  Here are a few excerpts from Bryan’s review (courtesy of the Winnipeg Free Press):

“The latest offering of the Cercle Molière, En Conduisant Miss Daisy, which opened Friday night (Nov 14th), is an engaging and heart-warming translation of Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer winning play, Driving Miss Daisy.

The play is challenging because it requires actors to age over a 20-year span.  It also requires a montage of different scenes as Miss Daisy is driven from one location to another.  Makeup and costuming captured the passage of years effectively.

Patrick Trudel was convincing as Daisy’s son, Boolie.  The trademark cigar of the businessman, the body language of the tired son, frustrated husband and cautious employer created a compelling character.  There is a genial conspirational aspect to his relationship with Hoke as they work together to take care of Daisy without her realizing the full extent of their co-operation.

This is a production that is comic, compelling in the authenticity of the relationships and a celebration of the capacity of the human spirit to transcend age, race, colour, and the passage of time.”

Congratulations Pat!  Another successful venture for our tireless friend.  After a busy season at the lodge where you started to take on the larger role that Aikens has in store for you, you started rehearsing immediately upon your return and I am sure that you can’t wait to kick those feet up on Dec 6th!  You certainly deserve the rest!

It is evident that the staff at Aikens love working together. It comes as no surprise that when Chef Jimmy was chartered to design and manage the kitchen of a new local eatery, many of the lodge’s kitchen staff came to his aid.  This new restaurant and lounge which opened two weeks ago is named “Le Garage Café”. 

Nestled on the main drag of Provencher Blvd. in St.-Boniface (Winnipeg’s french quarter), it has been creating quite the buzz. Open concept construction and trendy decor make this hot-spot a destination on many people’s night-life circuit.  Live music and nightly entertainment assures the Garage’s clientele an enjoyable evening.  And Chef Jimmy’s menu is sure to please everyone as many of you are already aware!

Other Aikens notables at the Garage : Janelle Potvin, Aisha Diallo, Élise Blouin, and David Smith.  Julien Desaulniers has been on stage  with his band, playing many classic tunes that have also graced the porch at Big Molly’s Bar.

If you’re passing through Winnipeg this winter, make sure to drop in at “Le Garage”. Say hi to Jimmy and the gang!

Introducing Rachelle (formerly Vandale)  and Hayster Soriano! Last Saturday (Oct 18th), amidst a large group of friends and family, the happy couple walked down the aisle with smiles and pride in their gaze. Rachelle, looking absolutely stunning in her bridal gown, was greeted by a dashing Hayster at the alter. They both professed each others love for one another while everyone (some with tears of joy) looked on.  The ceremony was a mix of both French-Canadian and Filipino traditions, and true to form, the church’s congregation cheered the newly-weds upon their exit.

The reception was held later that evening in downtown Winnipeg.  The hall, decked out in satin and candle-light, complemented the ladies in the bridal party’s burgundy dresses and the gents’ black tuxes perfectly.  Rach’s Bridesmaids were numerous. Three of them former (and active) Aikens Team members: Geneviève Paquin (Rosset),  Ludivine Coudière and Julie Turenne as the Maid of Honour. Annika and Martin (Pit&Julie’s children) contributed as flowergirl and ringbearer respectively. But wait there’s more… Pit was the co-emcee for the festivities. As you all know, his sharp wit had the crowd in stitches (Editor’s note… quit sucking up Pat!).  Funny anecdotes and touching speeches were shared by both sides of this great union.  Then a truly one-of-a-kind First dance saw Rach&Hayster start a slow waltz which broke out into a choreographed hip-hop dance. This set the tone for the rest of the guests who tore up the dance floor till the wee hours.  Levity, happiness and laughter was the “Ordre du Jour” as all rejoiced in the atmosphere of the happy nuptials.

We are extremely proud of this radiant couple. Both are invaluable volunteers to the lodge, often times we are found beseeching their services at Aikens (most notably during our “Mollies & Dollies Week), or away from Aikens (picking up supplies for us in Winnipeg). Tante (Auntie) Rachelle and Mononcle (Uncle) Hayster are some of Annika and Martin’s favorite babysitters too!

On behalf of all of us here at Aikens, and the Aikens family in general, congratulations on your union and we wish you all the best for the years to come!

Prairie Toyota’s Dealers and Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge invite all of our newsletter readers to tune into the “Call of the Tundra” airing on Global Television this weekend.  Those of you unable to catch the show, not to worry, we will be adding a copy of it to our mail-out in December. If we don’t have your information, please contact us at fishing@aikenslake.com and we’ll get a copy out to you. Let’s see who rolls off in a brand-new 2008 Toyota Tundra!!

Showtimes are:

(Alberta) Oct.11 @ 4 pm.   Global

(Manitoba&Sask.) Oct.12 @ 10:30 pm.  Global

Yet another addition to the long list of improvements to be announced! This brainchild of Léo and Gabe (our heating and refrigeration expert) was spawned over lengthy discussions as to how we could better our already efficient hot water system. See last year’s post here (Re-circ line).  We’re trying to minimize our carbon foot print on the environment (and save money on pricy fuel) so Léo and Gabe decided to find a way to eliminate our propane water heaters. We conferred with Jim Knoeck, a longstanding Aikens guest, from Knoeck Inc. Jim’s company specializes in heating and cooling products. He had just what we needed, a compact and effecient wood boiler that could fit inside the otter!  He personally drove the unit from his shop in Wisconsin to the float base at Silver Falls.  We poured a cement pad and housed the machine in what is now aptly called the “Fire-Fly”. It is situated beside our laundry facility the “Caillebo”.

In its first week of operation it has saved us huge amounts of fuel and has left no trace but a few shovels worth of ashes! With over 250 gallons of hot water on demand running through camp heated by our own natural ressource, we are proud to  say that Aikens is greener than ever!

We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and now we’ve waved goodbye to our final guests for the 2008 season!  This morning, the Bluewater planes whisked away the last of our valued and loyal guests!  We are now in the process of winterizing the camp which should take up the next few weeks.

Pit and Julie would like to extend a very special thank you to all of our guests this summer.  It was one of the busiest in recent memory!  It appears that the lure of the “Aikens Experience” is just that much stronger than the outside economic factors that worried and affected most of of the fly-in fishing industry this year!  We started off the year with a bang, having almost no room left to book in our first two weeks.  The “Season Opening” special has been a very popular promotion, and it certainly has brought a great number of guests to our camp to get the season started right.

June was a busy month with many families and friends coming up to Aikens.  We had a high number of father/son trips, as well as couples!  The month was filled with planes (nearly 2.5/day) escorting an army of small groups in and out of the lodge.  Logistically, it was tough to keep up to the flight schedule and guide schedule, but both Julie & Pat were on top of it and there were no snafus to speak of!

July afforded us our regular break for the staff.  We generally black out 7-10 days early in the month to send everyone home for a break.  As you know, the 7-day a week schedule can take its toll and having that chance to recharge the batteries is a must for us and our staff.  This year, the boys planned another golf outing (Pat’s birthday is the official excuse to get on the course) during the break.  There was also the Winnipeg Folk Fest and Dauphin Country Fest that kept our staff entertained.  When we reopened during the 2nd week, we played host to many corporate groups, the largest of which was the group from Komatsu USA.

August was an incredibly busy month.  We have a very loyal group of people and businesses that reserve their same weeks year after year.  By early June, we could no longer accept any more bookings from Aug 3-29th this year!   We also played host to the “2008 Toyota Call of the Tundra”, which was a very exciting event for Aikens.  You will be able to see the 30 minute show on Global TV in Canada next month.  We will also send out a DVD copy in December to everyone on our mailing list.  If you would like to be added, please email us your contact info.

September, as is normally the case, was a very relaxed and enjoyable month.  Most of the staff returned home to go to school this fall.  We had our small “September Crew” help out again this year with the handful of groups that wanted to take advantage of September’s great walleye fishing.  Now that we are at mid-month, we have reached the end of the line for bookings this year!  We had our final shorelunch yesterday and bid farewell to a great season on the water.  Thank you to all for visiting us this year.  We hope that your “Aikens Experience” was better than ever, and we hope to be able to top it again next summer!

We would also like to send out a very special thank you to our staff.  Once again, they were the stick that stirred the Aikens drink.  The “Aikens Experience” for our guests is based largely on the world-class service, but also on the interaction and laughs they share with our young and vibrant staff.  For our staff, working at Aikens instills a very strong work ethic yet at the same time they have the opportunity to unwind and have fun with everyone that visits us!  There is a great balance of work vs. play at Aikens Lake.  Our staff wakes up every day ready to tackle that day’s needs & projects, and for that we want to thank them a million times over!

Of course, the “Aikens Experience” is never complete without thanking our business partners at Bluewater Aviation and OTours for their incredible service.  They shuttle all our guests from Winnipeg to Silver Falls (OTours) and then Silver Falls to Aikens (Bluewater).  We heard nothing but postive comments about the service and great first impression people have about our operation before they ever step foot on our docks!  Thank you Michelle & Roger along with your great drivers.  Thank you Ed & Steve and all your attentive staff and ace pilots!

Well, that about wraps it up for the 60th season at Aikens.  The first paid customers arrived here in 1948… making Aikens Lake the oldest fly-in fishing lodge in Manitoba!  We are proud of our history and heritage here at Aikens.  Although we have revamped many of the cabins and boats, the past is always a part of the present.  It has been a long haul to get where we are today, and it has all been very worthwhile.  Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge would not be where it is without our valued guests!  Thanks again and see you next year!

ps - We will continue to update the website on a hopefully weekly basis over the offseason.

Hi everyone… Sorry for the lack of posts recently.  While a lot has happened, both Pit and Pat have not found time to add a news item… this is very unlike us!

Let us take you back to when the 2008 Toyota Call of the Tundra left town (Aug 25th).  We greeted three groups at that time.  Two of the groups were regulars that had been coming for years.  The third group was new, this one from Kansas City.  All three groups had great experiences here… especially the new group that loved it so much that they  may grow from 8 to 20 people next year!

After this, we had a relatively calm September Long Weekend.  Pat became “mini-boss” again while Pit and Julie went to the city.  Pat did admirably in making sure that everyone here had the time of their lives!  Meanwhile in Winnipeg, Julie had an ultrasound that went very well.  For those that haven’t heard, Pit and Julie are expecting their 3rd child in mid-January!  With such a short window of opportunity for a due date, it appears that the three kids will have birthdays within 3 weeks of each other.  That’s the way it goes when you operate a fishing lodge!

Since then, we’ve had a large (and rowdy… hello guys!) group stay at GGO followed by  another at the main lodge (a group of 22 to help us end off the season on a high note).  We have only 3 groups left this weekend then we close another chapter of Aikens lore and legend!  Most of the staff has already returned home to school now, and we want to thank them for their endless energy and charisma that makes the “Aikens Experience” so special!  Stay tuned for a few final postings as we close up camp for the winter.